Silent G when ⟨g⟩ is not pronounced

⟨gn⟩ — silent G before or after N

The letter ⟨g⟩ is silent when paired with ⟨n⟩ — either at the start of a word (gnat, gnome) or at the end (sign, foreign).

Two ways to see this: You can think of ⟨gn⟩ as a silent ⟨g⟩, or as an unusual spelling of /n/ — see the N sound page. Both are valid.

Common words

align assign benign campaign design foreign reign resign sign

Sign / align family

Compounds and derived forms.

alignment assignment consign consignment realign reassign redesign signage signpost sovereign sovereignty

⟨gn⟩ at the start of a word

gnarled gnarly gnash gnat gnaw gneiss gnocchi gnome gnosticism gnu

French origin

champagne champaign cologne sauvignon

Formal and literary

arraign arraignment deign ensign feign impugn malign poignancy poignant recognizance

⟨gm⟩ — silent G before M

Only at the end of a word.

diaphragm paradigm phlegm